CHARLOTTE – The heat and the bright sunlight reflecting off the turf at Jerry Richardson Stadium only added to the discomfort of anyone wearing red during the late stages of Saturday’s Gardner-Webb/Charlotte football game.

GWU was left stunned by a turn of events as the first-year 49er program scored 29 straight points in the fourth period to pull out a 53-51 win. The outcome wasn’t settled until a two-point pass by the Runnin’ Bulldogs was foiled by a strong rush and fell incomplete with 31 seconds left before the portion of the 12,222 in attendance who had stuck around.

Gardner-Webb (4-2) seemed in control, breaking from a 24-all tie at halftime with a 21-0 third-quarter edge to lead 45-24. But turnovers and a defense worn down by Charlotte’s no-huddle, hurry-up attack, changed the momentum for keeps.

“We gave them a short field several times there and they did a good job taking advantage, two of those scores were on one-play drives,” said GWU head coach Carroll McCray. “I was proud of our guys the way they fought and scratched, running our two-minute offense to get us down there at the end.

“On the two-point play we had a guy in the end zone but with someone on his legs (on the rush), Lucas (Beatty) couldn’t get it to him.”

The wild finish concluded a contest where there were 66 total first downs, more than 1,100 total yards posted by the two offensive units and 10 touchdown passes.

"Whew, the guys listened to us and we just kept playing,” said Charlotte coach Brad Lambert of the rally from 21 points down. “Something positive happened for us and that just built on itself and more positive things kept happening.

“This one's way up there. It was kind of our trademark at Wake to feel confident we could win late in games. We knew it was going to be tough. Gardner-Webb is a really good football team.”

Quarterback Matt Johnson of Charlotte (4-2) keyed the comeback with 342 yards and five touchdown passes. That balanced the card as Beatty threw for 389 yards and four scores, with Richard Jules adding another scoring pass for GWU on a halfback option toss.

“Turnovers always come back to haunt you,” said McCray. “We’ve got to be mature and stay focused in that situation.

“We can learn from everything. When you get the momentum in a game, you have to keep it. And when mistakes happen, it’s the next play that counts. You have to forget what just happened.”

GWU still looked in good shape after making a fourth-down stand at its own 28 with 7:43 to play, ahead 45-31. But an errant snap that punter Jordan Day had to pounce on in the end zone for a safety, began the 49er landslide.

After the free kick, Charlotte moved 50 yards in to score and make it 45-40. After a quick three-and-out, the 49er offense got it back and the result was a 56-yard scoring strike from Johnson to Alan Barnwell with 2:19 left to put the host team ahead 53-45.

GWU, with Beatty hitting Kenny Cook and Mike Estes twice apiece, drove 72 yards against the clock. Juanne Blount, who had 133 yards rushing on the day, punched in from the one to make it 53-51, but the 49er blitz spoiled the two-point attempt.

It was a painful loss only one week before the ‘Dogs travel to face a tough Coastal Carolina squad in their Big South Conference opener.

“We’re going to stay consistent,” said McCray. “We’re going to look at the film and be realistic and see why negative things happened and start correcting.”

Charlotte hosts UNC Pembroke next week.

Inside the Game

The disappointment after the 53-51 defeat to the Charlotte 49ers Saturday afternoon overshadowed some huge efforts by GWU players.

Quarterback Lucas Beatty, playing back in his hometown, had a career passing game as he hit on 35 of 52 attempts for 389 yards and four touchdowns.

It was also a career high for junior wideout Kenny Cook who caught 10 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

On one of those, the 6-4 Cook, from Cress Hill, S.C., completely reached over a defender who fronted him to grab the scoring pass.

“There (at the goal line) I just want him to throw it up and it was in a perfect spot,” said Cook.

Head coach Carroll McCray said “our coaches did a good job gameplanning and moved Kenny around to different spots. He got single coverage and was able to take advantage. He did a good job getting open.”